A free community concert is set to bring music, hope and vital support to St. Louis’ Delmar Maker District following the devastating May 16 tornado. “Build Back the Block,” a tornado relief concert organized by HuSTL Hospitality – the team behind Steve’s Hot Dogs and The Fountain on Delmar – will take place June 17 at 5 p.m. outside both businesses at 5242 Delmar Blvd.
The event, headlined by the Funky Butt Brass Band with members of The Urge and DJ Bill Reiter, aims to raise $50,000 to help local businesses recover from storm damage. Though admission is free, a $20 donation is suggested, and sponsorship opportunities are also available.
The concert marks the reopening of both Steve’s Hot Dogs and The Fountain on Delmar, which were among the businesses damaged during the storm. “The destruction we’ve seen in our district was heartbreaking,” said Danni Eickenhorst, CEO of HuSTL Hospitality. “We couldn’t reopen our doors without doing something to support those who may not be able to reopen theirs for some time.”
Proceeds will benefit Delmar Main Street, an organization working to rebuild, relocate and relaunch businesses affected by the storm. Felice McClendon, executive director of Delmar Main Street, emphasized the broader community impact of supporting small businesses. “For every business affected, there are employees – and their families – who’ve also lost income,” she said. “Helping small businesses get back to work is key to helping St. Louis recover.”
Steve Ewing, co-owner of Steve’s Hot Dogs and frontman of The Urge, said fellow musicians were quick to answer the call. “This is going to be one of those nights you just don’t forget,” he said. “We’ve got some of the best musicians in St. Louis coming together to lift up a neighborhood that really needs it.”
During the concert, attendees will also be able to contribute to the Steve’s Hot Dogs Feed the People program, which provides meals to people in need. The initiative fed more than 750 people following the tornado, completely depleting its funds. Since its launch in 2020, the program has provided more than 10,000 meals through partnerships with area nonprofits.
Additionally, representatives from the St. Louis Development Corporation will be onsite to help impacted businesses report their needs and begin accessing resources for recovery.
More information is available at steveshotdogsstl.com/news/buildback. The slideshow below shows some of the devastating aftermath of the tornado.
